Sofia Travel Forum

Bulgarian police registration papers checked upon exiting the country?

Apparently there is a rule/law that requires foreigners not staying in hotels to register with the police (and provide proof of registration) upon exiting the country (i.e. at Bourgas international airport).

Does anyone remember how strictly this was enforced the last time you left Bulgaria (and didn't stay in hotels)? I am Canadian, and they had a similar rule in Serbia, but after research online, and advice from others, it became clear it wasn't neccessary to register with the police just because I wasn't going to be staying in hotels during my stay. On the train to Montenegro, no Serbian officers asked for the registration slip, and most people didn't know what registration meant, even though this was written on their embassy website.

How does it work in Bulgaria?

Dear Song99

Even if you do not stay in a hotel, you must stsy somevhere. The rule is not to make inconviniances to you but to the autokams or private acomodations where you probably intent to stay in. The procedure is foloving(including Serbija, montenegro, macedonia and other countries in the region). the owner or person in charge of the place where you are acomodate will bring all necesary documents to the authorities and bring you a slip with stamp from the police or municipality(depende who is in charge). That is due to force the owner to pay state or local taxes. So ask the person in charge to provide you a slipp.
You are not obliged to have that slip within 24 hours from entrance in the country(traveling time or transite)

Best regards Ezerski

I stayed in a rented flat in Sofia, in hostels and B&B and hotels. When I left no one asked me for either a registration slip or proof of any hotel stays...

Didn't even get a receipt from the hostels for that matter.

why take a chance. me and 20 other family members were there several years ago.
there was 4 different groups. each group arrived and departed on different days. two of the groups were ask to show the proof of emergency removall by plane insurance. that is what the guy checking passports and visas called it.
the same was true on having to show the papers from the hotels and other places we stayed.
i was told that a group from england did not have the papers from where they stayed. there flight out was saturday morn. they were told they would have to stay over until tues when some goverment office opened and get papers to leave then.
they called the travel service agency. the agency was able to get there papers to leave the next day. but it cost them a night in a hotel plus around 20 pounds each for a special handling charge the government office charged plus 10 pounds each the agency charged.